Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers Salary
The median pay for a airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers in South Carolina is $143,580/year, per BLS data. The range runs from $97K at the entry level to $228K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.17), which stretches that salary to about $154,105 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,263/month, or 14.5% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of South Carolina. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $144K get you in South Carolina?
About airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers
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What this looks like in South Carolina
Pay for airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers in South Carolina runs about 38% below the U.S. median of $232K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,263/month, 15% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.17 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, South Carolina can be a reasonable trade-off for airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineerss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, South Carolina
Entry-level airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers (10th percentile) start around $97K. Mid-career wages sit at $144K. Top earners bring in $228K or more, a $130K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when South Carolina numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in South Carolina?
Yes — at the median salary of $144K, rent takes 15% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,263/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers in South Carolina?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers typically earn — is $97K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,824/month. At HUD’s $1,263/month FMR, rent would take 22% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineer a high-paying job in South Carolina?
Local pay runs 38% below the national median — $144K here vs. $232K nationally. Cost of living is 7% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does South Carolina compare to the national average for airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers?
South Carolina pays $144K median vs. the U.S. average of $232K — that’s -38%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.17), the purchasing-power equivalent is $154K — below the national median.
How much do airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers make in South Carolina?
The median is $143,580 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $97,070, and experienced airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers can clear $227,550. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $144K enough to live in South Carolina?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $8,444/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,263/month, which eats 15% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers salary go in South Carolina?
South Carolina has a Regional Price Parity of 93.17 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers salary is worth about $154,105 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.